AIT Nepal 2026/27: Olexir
Meet Svitlana Mykolenko, one of the ten participants in the 2026/27 edition of the Academia-Industry Training Nepal program.
Interview with Svitlana Mykolenko
“Nature gives us remarkable botanical oils with nutritious and healing potential, yet many remain underused because they feel greasy, are unstable or deliver bioactives inefficiently. Olexir uses plant proteins to transform them into high-performance biomaterials that are effective and enjoyable.”
What problem does your startup solve, and why is it important to you personally?
Nature gives us remarkable botanical oils with nutritious and healing potential, yet many remain underused because they feel greasy, are unstable or deliver bioactives inefficiently. Olexir uses plant proteins to transform them into high-performance biomaterials that are effective and enjoyable. I grew up among sunflower fields in Ukraine, so oils have been part of my life from the beginning. Nature has already created these treasures; my mission is to help people benefit from them fully.
What inspired you to become a sciencepreneur, and what has been your biggest “aha!” moment so far?
I have worked with botanical oils for more than 20 years and always wanted to see science improve everyday life. As an associate professor in Ukraine, I helped to translate research into successful plant-based products. Later, when our oleogelation technology, which we developed at ETH Zurich, attracted interest from global companies, I had my biggest “aha!” moment: scientists should not only create knowledge; they can also build the companies that bring their innovations to people.
What unique perspective does your academic background bring to your startup?
My academic journey connects applied science with deep-tech materials engineering. I started with oilseed processing, botanical ingredients, contact non-equilibrium plasma, plant proteins and sustainable value chains. At ETH Zurich, I moved into nanotechnology and protein self-assembly. This allows me to think across very different scales – from crops and side streams to nanostructures and commercial products – and to transform natural ingredients into advanced materials that are scientifically rigorous, scalable and inspired by the way nature already works.
What’s one surprising lesson you’ve learned since launching your startup?
The most surprising lesson has been how much entrepreneurship requires disciplined focus. As a scientist, I was used to exploring, questioning, and following my curiosity. In a startup, I must ask of every opportunity: what value will this create? I have also learned that a company cannot be built in solo mode. It needs people with different backgrounds, priorities and ways of thinking who can challenge one another while building something meaningful together.
If you could host a dinner with three innovators (past or present), who would they be and why?
I would invite Leonardo da Vinci, Janine Benyus and Yvon Chouinard. Leonardo inspires me to think beyond disciplines and remain endlessly curious. Janine Benyus shows how innovation can begin by learning from nature rather than replacing it. Yvon Chouinard proves that environmental purpose and commercial success can strengthen each other. Together, they represent the kind of innovator I believe to become: curious, nature-inspired, courageous and committed to creating meaningful, lasting impact.